Alarm or signal device



May 19, 1925. 1,538,165

R. D. Bul-:LL l

ALARM OR SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Dec. 50, 1921 Z5 jizz/@722% Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES ROY I). BUELL, `0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ALARM OR SIGNAL DEVICE.

Application filed December 30, 1921. Serial No. 526,025.

To all whom it may cof/wem.'

Be it known that I, ROY D. BUELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Illinois, have invented an 11nprovement in Alarm or Signal Devices, of which the' following is a specification.

This invention relates to sound producing devices and particularly to that class wherein the actuating force consists of pressure iiuid such as is produced, for example, in internal combustion engines.

Among other objects, the invention is intended to provide a device which is practical, of simple construction and cheap to manufacture. Y

One embodiment of the invention for accomplishing these and other objects is shown for illustration in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is fragmentary side elevation of a portion of an automobile illustrating one application of the invention, and showing an internal combustion engine associated therewith and typifying a source of pressure fluid for actuating the device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken approximately as indicated by the line 2-2 of F ig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a" plan section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In the illustrative arrangement, relatively adjustable sound producing means are actuated by pressure fluid applied directly thereto, and certain of said means are adjustable with respect to the applied pressure Huid.

Referring to the drawings, a frame or housing 5 is secured to the front side of the dash-board 6 and under the hood 7 of an automobile.

Secured to the front open end of said housing is a horn or resonator 8 and be tween said housing and resonator is mounted a vibratory diaphragm 9, having secured thereto at, or near, its central portion a wear-piece 10.

To vibrate the diaphragm, a toothed wheel or rotor 11 of relatively heavy or weighted construction is mounted in said housing and isprovided with a plurality of teeth 12 cooperable with said wear-piece.

To actuate said rotor, the housing 5 is provided with an opening 13 for receiving a fluid jet or nozzle 14 on one end of a conduit 15 through which pressure fluid is admitted.

The opposite end of said conduit is connected to a manually controlled valve mechanism 16 of any suitable type, associated with any source of pressure iiuid supply such, for example, as an internal combustion en` gine 17, in which case, the valve mechanism may be positioned in a screw-threaded opening in the head ofthe engine usuallyoo copied by one of the pet-cocks or `priming cups 18.

The jet or nozzle 141- is positioned substantially tangential to the path of movenient of the teeth on the rotor, and when pressure fluid is directed against the suhstantially radial faces of the teeth, the rotor will he driven to bring, successively,wthe opposite or cam faces of the teeth 12 into engagement with the wear-piece 10 on the diaphragm 9. u

After the flow of fluid is discontinued, the heavy or weighted construction of the toothed wheel or rotor will have the effect of a fly-wheel to continue the rotation of said wheel, thus permitting a gradual reduction ofthe speed of the latter and consequently a like reduction in the vibrations of the diaphragm, thereby producing a more pleasing sound than as though the rotor .stopped abruptly with the cessation of the flow of fluid.

To utilize to the fullest possible extent the pressure fluid for driving the rotor, the substantially radial faces of the teeth 12 are provided with cupslike depressions 19 so formed and positioned with respect to the jet 14 as to receive and prevent, temporarily, the escape of the fluid laterally therefrom, while the-opposite or cam faces of the teeth are provided with grooves 2O to permit free passage of the pressure fluid to the cup-like depressions on the preceding teeth.

To properly position the teeth of the rotor with respect to the jet or nozzle 14, a pair of oppositely disposed adjusting screws 21 may be screw-threaded into the walls of the housing 5 and have their inner ends cupped to receive an antifriction connection for supporting the rotor as, for example, the outer sides of balls 22, the opposite sides of which enter the depressions v23 formed in opposite sides of the rotor.

Thus, it will be observed that by screwing up one of the adjusting screws and backing away the other, the rotor may be positioned to bring the cuplilre depressions 19 of the teeth 12 into proper alignment with the jet or .nozzle 14, and be secured-in. such position by thelockfnuts 23 on the adjusting screws.

To properly position the vdiaphragm r9 with respect to the teeth of' the rotor and to compensate for Wear of' theI piece 10, an adjusting screw 24 may be screw-threaded into the Haring portion of' thehousing in a manner to engage the diaphragm Within its circumference, and vby manipulating said adjusting .screiv, the diaphragm together .with fthe wear-piece` may be moved away trom ori-permitted to approachfsaid" teeth sidesired, the'- screw 24 being: secured iii adjusted *position` by vthe lock-nuts 25.

-Forconvenience in controlling the operation or the device, a cable or rod 26 opera- .tivelyy connected `at one end to a -valve actuating levei 27 may be passed rearwardly throught the dash-board 6- a'nd'have secured to its oppositeen'dv a handle or button 28 positionedivithin easy reach of thev driver. fIn -the operation vof ythe device, a Apull exerted` on vthe cable yor rod `26 Will lcause the Llever 27.` -toopen/'thevvalve ythereby -per- Initting a .flow of pressure `fluid to pass .through the .jet or nozzle'` ll' and be directed against the substantially radial faces-of' the .teeth of` the rotor.

@The direction of fluidfloiv being on a line substantially tangentiallto tlieip'ath of move- .nient ofasaid..teetli,`and `a substantial distance from the .center of -the rotor, will impart to thel latter a rotary motion, thus causing tl-ie teeth l2 =to successively inipinge the-.ivear-piece 10, thereby producing a rapid vibration ot the diaphragm.

"An outlet/port 29 is provided in thehousing 5 to permit the escape of thefiuid after it has performed .its rotor-driving .function Obviously, the present invention `is not limited to the precise details of the illustiativedevice, but .may be variously moditied. Moreover, it isnot essential that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, as they may be used ito advantage =in variouslydifferent combinations .and subcombinations.

Ii claim:

l. lnv a device of the characterdescribed, a

housing; a diapliragin mounted-therein; a

rotor having axial depressions; oppositely disposed adjusting means mounted in said housing; kmeans coojieiable vivitli said adjustingineaiisand saiddepi'essioiis for supporting Vsaid rotor; la `pressure fluid jet mounted in said housing; a plurality ofteetli associated With said rotor for vibrating said diaphraginfand provid-ed on one face with cup-like depressions for receiving fluid 'from said jet, and on the opposite face with grooves for permittiiigithe unobstructed passage of said fluidy to isaid` cup-like .depressiruis; and means for adjusting said diaphragm with respect to said teeth.

lWeighted for thereof after said impulses are discontinued;

:2. Iira devceof the character .-,deseribed, a. l:housing a f diaphragm i having a fwvear- A.pieceand mounted in said housing; an imperforate rotor; yoppositely disposed adjustable projections adapted to axially enl-gage said rotor to support the latter; a. plurality of' teeth on said rotor and cooperable .with .said @Wear-:piece to vibrate said diava fluid actuated lrotoradjustaibly mounted in said fhousing and having teeth cooper-able `with said .diaphragmY ltoA vibrate ther latter, Vsaid teeth' having meansr associated there with for: receiving andl Aholding said l iiuid aiidfineans for: permitting the Itree lpassage of said fluid to-'saidfreeeivingiand holding means; means for directing pressure fluid i a gainst-said teeth' torlv'acutatiiig `said-f rotor;

means =mounted in said housing for; adjusting said rotor with respect to said direct-ing i means and means outside said housing for adjusting said diaphragm -With 1 respect `lto :said rotor.

-n'ieans f for IdirectingI pressure iiuid i against A said teeth for rotatably actuating said rotor to vibrate said diaphragm; meansffor adjustinfrfsaidfrotorand teeth with respect to `said directing means; nieans'for'conti'olling the flow or' fluid to said teeth; and means for continuing the `rotation offsaid rotor affter the flow of fluid is discontinued.

In avdevice ofthe character described, a

Vvibratory .diaphragm having a resonator. associated-therewith; iafluid actuated rotor having ...teeth eooperable with -said diaphragm lto vibrate the latter; a vfiuid nozzle associated with said teeth; means foradjusting-said-rotorand teeth with respect to said nozzle; andineans for adjusting said diaphragm-With :respect tosaid teeth.

6. A device of the characterdescribed comprising, in combination, a resonator having a` diaphragm associated therewith, a fluid-actuated rotor having teeth cooperable i With-said `diaphragm to agita-te the latter;

a liuid nozzlefassoci'ated with said rotor and means for adjusting said rotor withfrespect to said nozzle.

T. In an alarm or signalling device, the

combination of a diaphragm;` a ytoothed rotor for vibrating said 'diaphragm and adapted to be driven by impulses from a pressure fluid engine, said rotor vbeing continuing the movement means for directing 'said impulses against the teeth of said rotor: and means forl adjusting said rotor with respect to said directing means.

8. In a device of the character described, a housing; a vibratory diaphragm mounted therein; a toothed rotor cooperable with said diaphragm and having oppositely disposed axial depressions; iuid directing means cooperable with said rotor; anti-friction means cooperable with said depressions for supporting the rotor and means for holding said anti-friction means in rotor-supporting position.

9. In a device of the character described, a housing; a vibratorj)T diaphragm mounted therein; a toothed rotor cooperable with said diaphragm and having oppositely disposed cup-like depressions positioned axially thereof Huid directing means cooperable with said rotor; spherioally formed antifriction elements cooperable, ontheir inner sides, with said depressions for supporting the rotor; and oppositely disposed longitudinally adjustable projections mounted in the Walls of the housing and provided, at their inner ends, with cup-like coneavities for engaging the opposite sides of said spherically formed elements for supporting said rotor Within said housing.

In testimony whereof, I have signed myl name to this specication.

ROY D. BUELL..

Witness W. L. WATSON. 

